Govt to review status of 32 coal blocks next week

New Delhi :Coal Ministry will next week review the status of auctioned and alloted coal blocks to companies like SAIL, Adani Power, Hindalco, NTPC and JSW Steel amid the government eyeing an ambitious one billion tonnes of production by 2020.

“It has been decided to hold a meeting under the Chairmanship of Joint Secretary and Nominated Authority, Ministry of Coal to review the status of schedule III coal mines/blocks allocated so far,” Coal Ministry said in a meeting notice.

“The meeting is scheduled to be held on January 19, 2016,” the notice added.

In total, 32 blocks located in the states, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha and Telangana would be reviewed, it said.

The government had last year in three tranches auctioned 31 coal mines and made an allotment of 42 coal blocks to central or state government companies.

The auction and allotment proceeds from 73 coal mines have touched over Rs 3.44 lakh crore over the life of the mine, which shall be devolving entirely to the coal producing states.

However, the government had to cancel the fourth round of mines auction, which was scheduled for this month on account of poor response from bidders in sectors like steel due to depressed commodity prices and adverse market conditions.